Police in southern Australia say they are making progress in protecting foreign students, in the wake of a series of assaults on young Indians.
Victoria state police commander Trevor Carter says the violent attacks appear to be on the decline. Carter says authorities attribute this to increased patrols at rail stations and other areas frequented by students.
The specialized police presence, known as Operation Guardian, is in response to criticism from New Delhi that Australian officials have not done enough to protect people of Indian heritage from attack.
Over the past year, there have have been several racially motivated attacks on foreign students in southern Australia. In January, a 21-year-old Indian student was fatally stabbed in Melbourne. A teenager was charged with his murder.
Australia has been a popular destination for Indian students wanting to study overseas, because its universities are less expensive than those in the United States or Europe. In 2009, some 70,000 Indians were studying in Australia.
